IMMIGRATION
Hello, this is Congressman John D. Dingell and welcome to my first podcast. I offer these podcasts as an opportunity for my constituents to hear directly from me about important issues facing our country. Please check back to my website regularly to download new podcasts on other issues of importance.
Today, I speak about a topic that has been in the news quite a lot lately: our national immigration policy. You hear about it almost every night on television, the problem of broken borders, the potential for terrorists to illegally enter our country, and ordinary American citizens mobilizing to monitor our border because of a border patrol that is undermanned and under funded.
This is a difficult and complex issue, one that needs to be carefully considered so as to improve security over our borders while at the same time allowing legal immigrants continued entry into our country.
Our goal must be to strike the right balance so as to allow in immigrants who want to work hard and play by our rules and keep out those who would break those rules. Like millions of Americans before them, new legal immigrants deserve a path to citizenship and the benefits that come with it, while lawbreakers should be punished and denied the privileges awarded to those who go down the proper path.
We must vigorously enforce our current immigration laws. We must support our border patrol by giving them the necessary tools and funding so they can do their jobs effectively. We can give immigrants who yearn for a life in America an opportunity to do so, so long as they respect our laws. Without a road to citizenship, our nation stands to create a large underclass of illegal immigrants that can be taken advantage of by bad actors in our employment market.
Unfortunately, the House failed to craft a well rounded bill that struck the right balance. In December, the House considered H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act. While the name sounds very good, you will find a name does little in the way of creating legislation that deals with the problem at hand.
This bill was a heavy handed approach to immigration. But you may say, “Dingell, we have a problem, we must do something.” I say to you: Read the fine print. This bill not only penalized illegal immigrants, but families, asylum seekers, good Samaritans, and most importantly, law abiding, U.S. citizens. It would do more to drive illegal immigrant further underground than anything currently on the books.
Because of the heavy handed approach of this bill, I was not alone in my opposition. I would note that a wide array of groups opposed this legislation including the United Auto Workers, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the United States Chamber of Commerce, and the Americans for Tax Reform. During these very polarized times, when these vastly different groups are opposed, it raises a few eyebrows. And it does so for good reason.
As the debate continues, I stand willing to craft a well rounded bill that enforces our immigrant laws, allows for avenues for citizenship, and that does not drive illegal immigration further underground.
This is Congressman John D. Dingell, thank you for listening.
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